Secretary Of Defense Ashton Carter: ‘Hesitant to Say We Are Winning’ Fight Against ISIS

On Tuesday’s broadcast of NBC’s “Today,” Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter told co-host Savannah Guthrie he was “reluctant” to say the United States is winning the fight against ISIS.

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“I think it’s too early to say we are winning, but I think we have certainly inflicted a lot of damage,” Carter said. “It will take time to inflict defeat upon ISIL. We’re still building the coalition, we’re still building the forces and that’s why I’m hesitant to say we are winning. I’m confident we will win.”

Carter would not commit to a time frame, however.

“It’s hard to know that either,” he added. “Obviously, It’s going to depend on how quick we are to build the forces to sustain the defeat.”